Your gas jeff with your nailed down draw talk…
What’s gas is a side losing a test in which they batted first, declared their first innings on Day 3 when an unbeaten double centurion brought up his double century and then proceeded to lose the test by an innings. This is Pakistan on tour though so anything is possible. Last month in the second test against New Zealand in Hamilton, Pakistan were on 131/0 just before tea on Day 5, when they lost their first wicket, they then proceeded to lose 9 wickets in the final session to slide from 159/1 to 230 all out.
So you’ll concede Smiths century played a part in the victory and his captaincy? Without those runs Pakistan would not have panicked
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No. There’s major question marks over Smith’s captaincy after a shambles of a tour to Sri Lanka only four month ago and the shocking performances in the first and second test which lost Australia the series to South Africa before Christmas. Winning a test series at home to Pakistan doesn’t answer those questions. You may think all is suddenly okay, but knowledgeable Australian cricket people know the score. Australia have never lost a test series at home to Pakistan. That run now extends to 12 series. Australia have won their last 11 test matches at home to Pakistan a run stretching back to 1995 and Pakistan have only won four of the thirty four test matches played in Australia. A comfortable test series win at home to Pakistan after the shambles of the last two series was close to a pre-requisite to save his captaincy.
As regards Smith’s batting. He’s a flat track bully. Most of his runs and big scores are accumulated when Australia are not under any great pressure on the scoreboard. I’m struggling to recall any match turning innings that he’s produced - coming to the crease when Australia are about 50/4 or 70/5 and digging them out of a hole. @Bandage best summarised Smith about 18 months ago here.
“Yes. We got it wrong in 1921,” said Thatcher.
They might have had a few quid on it.
Alistair Cook is standing down as England captain.
Just watching Michael Atherton on the news there discussing this, he does not look well at all. Has he been ill recently?
Mike Atherton has had a debilitating back condition for over 20 years.
Correct decision from Cook to step down now and get Joe Root blooded in ahead of the Ashes.
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A bad back would put years on you.
The first and second ranked teams in action in the early hours of tomorrow morning as the Border/Gavaskar Series gets underway in Pune. Big test for Australia. They’ve lost 9 tests in a row in Asia. India are unbeaten in their last 20 tests at home since England won in Calcutta in 2012 - winning 17 drawing 3 of those 20 tests.
Likely starting teams:
India: 1 Kannur Rahul, 2 Murali Vijay, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 7 Ravichandran Ashwin, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Jayant Yadav, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Umesh Yadav.
Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Matt Renshaw, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Shaun Marsh, 5 Peter Handscomb, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Steve O’Keefe, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood.
Dropping Khawaja for one of the useless Marsh’s is beyond silly. Really can’t see this as being anything other than a clean sweep. Australia simply do not have the bowlers for the sub continent. Smith will probably score well, Warner won’t. Renshaw and Handscombe have both been excellent since they came in during the Pakistan series and both seem to have a bit more backbone and patience, so might do well here. Should be interesting at least for the first test.
Australia get to 50 without the loss of a wicket, a minor victory, I thought they’d be three or four down by now.
Three quick wickets, Australia slip from
149/2 to 166/5.
259/9 the last pair have added 50
Scenes in Pune. The Indians bowled out for 105. Aussies have a handy 200 run lead.
Geoffrey?
He’s gone very quiet. It’s only one session though.
What a remarkable session. I’m frankly in complete shick here.
Shaun Marsh with a duck again, it shiuld be noted. Why do they persist with him and his idiot brother (apart from the obvious answer)